Death Grip

One of the best to come from The Stunt People thus far! It's inspiring and fun to see a dedicated group of independent filmmakers advance and improve themselves over the years. This latest effort is beautifully photographed and intelligently written, topped off with impressive fight choreography. What is more engaging is the fighting moves the story along and has character - something that is nearly impossible to achieve in current martial art films with meteoric budgets. This filmic art has heart and a conscious eye on the realism of conflict - the social as well as the physical. This is a "Must See" for anyone who's a martial art film buff as well as those who want a good "Non-Formulaic" story.

After a grueling six years since the release of their last proper feature film, San Francisco-based amateur action pioneers The Stunt People return with a vengeance in Death Grip, a sophisticated action- thriller that glimmers with professional polish and demonstrates the considerable progress the outfit has made in their mission to reclaim the art of the action film for a new generation of audiences jaded by the uninspired output of mainstream cinema.

Boasting impressive sets, a cast of capable dramatic actors and staggering technical prowess, Death Grip is a Stunt People production unlike any previously seen. Grim, suspenseful and superbly atmospheric, the group has at last found a vehicle that has enabled them to consolidate all their strongest attributes – unique storytelling, local flair, humor, concussive fight sequences and a distinguished filmmaking acumen that can only be the result of a devoted group of passionate aficionados investing countless hours to studying and honing their craft – into a cohesive cinematic package in which nothing feels derivative or out of place; you very well may see something you've never seen before in this film.

Each of Death Grip's key players – Eric Jacobus, Nathan Hoskins, Rebecca Ahn, Johnny Yong Bosch, Alvin Hsing, Ray Carbonel and Chelsea Steffensen – fit their roles comfortably, and deliver engaging performances that provide the narrative's fundamental substance. This is, at its core, a character study, and the events of the story are driven as much by the motives of each character as the necessity of indulging action-craving viewers. Death Grip succeeds where so many action films, independent or otherwise, fail: by placing its plot line at the center of its narrative focus and utilizing deftly-constructed action scenes as a device for heightening tension and elevating the stakes presented by the major complications, rather than as the primary spectacle, devoid of emotional gravity, through which characters become clumsy appendages. Everyone who fights does so for a reason, and, consequently, the foray's participants are imbued with a sense of depth and credibility that make it easier for the audience to understand and get behind their actions.

And action is of course the arena in which The Stunt People shine the brightest. Forget the Coin of Judas, the group's familiar brand of incredible martial artistry is what is really on display here. For the uncharacteristically sober tone, a blend of hyper-realistic violence and lavish stylization is employed, carried out with stunning athleticism and an impeccable amount of detail by Jacobus and the rest. Individual action scenes are like microcosmic narratives all their own folded into the larger fabric of the film, with special attributes that lend them novelty and distinction. One fight places Kenny in a darkened room with a blinded enemy, neutralizing the advantage of sight and forcing the combatants to rely on instinct and cunning to prevail; in a later scene, he is pitted against a knife-wielding henchman in what is, without exaggeration, one of the most intricately choreographed and nuanced encounters I've ever witnessed in film. For the grand finale, Jacobus has staged a climactic and devastatingly hard-hitting showdown between out-of-his-league Kenny and enigmatic cult leader Torch (veteran stunt actor Johnny Yong Bosch). All are exceptionally well-shot and executed, astonishing for a crew predominately comprised of DIY filmmakers and stunt performers with limited professional experience. By the conservative ninety minute mark, Death Grip is sure to satisfy the appetites of even the most voracious action fans, with lasting appeal for those grown accustomed to the latest bloated, all-filler offerings from larger, more commercial industries.

Though marketed as an action-thriller, Death Grip is in actuality an experiment designed to test whether a modest band of ambitious young talent is capable of producing, with no backing from professional agencies or studio developers, a cinematic product challenging the best that the corporate world of filmmaking has to offer, and whether such a venture would be received enthusiastically by a viewer base out of touch with what once earned the action genre a respected place among other forms of visual storytelling. The answer to both points is a resounding yes, bristling with fresh creative energy and emphatic as a punch in the teeth. Death Grip is proof-positive of the rewards of vision and hard work, and a glowing testament to the maturity of a team that still has vast potential to improve. A knockout.

With so many big budget movies with poor action scenes out there, i wonder what these guys could do with bigger budgets. Death Grip shows what some talented people can do with their passion and application, delivering a really solid movie. I admit i lost a bit of interest in the story during the second part, but i also had some fun throughout the movie, especially with the hilarious toilet scene. And i really took a liking for the inoffensive Mark. Obviously, the most brilliant thing was the fighting, with great speed and use of the environment and with Eric reminding me a bit of Jackie Chan in his furious combinations. Keep it going Stunt People!

A caterer has to rescue his older mentally disabled brother from a dangerous cult after he accidentally steals a relic they desire in this film reminiscent of older Hong Kong fare due to it's genre-jumping shifts in tone and badass fight scenes. One of the best aspects of the film is that the lead character envisions the fights before they occur and so you get to see two different versions of the fights with differing styles of combat in each one. It sounds like it could be confusing but its very well done and just means there is more well shot and choreographed action to enjoy. Some great goofy and dark humor is thrown in as well as some horror style gore and tension. Aside from a really short and thrown in romantic subplot there is very little to get in the way of the fast paced story and high quality action. Highly recommended.

First things first: The fight scenes in Death Grip are outstanding. Do you remember how complex, exciting, and fun Jackie Chan's fight scenes were in the late '80s before he became obsessed with stunts and running away? Well, it's like Eric Jacobus and the Stunt People picked up where Jackie fell off and have been developing that style all this time. They've taken that same punchy spirit from 80s Hong Kong fight choreography, updated it with modern camera techniques and editing, and put their own violent spin on it. You could make the case that no other group in the world create fight scenes as well as The Stunt People right now.

Having said that, Death Grip has issues with pacing and tone. Like classic 1980s HK cinema, the story veers from comedy to action to heavy melodrama to outrageous violence. But unlike those HK films, the pace is slow and leaden. Characters often pause and react slowly for no reason, making you want to yell at them to hurry up. The photography (while stylish) seems under-lit and the music is constantly ominous, giving the whole affair a gloomy vibe that detracts from the story's lighthearted tone and absurd events. Also, the fights are too few and far between and when they do come, the lighting is so dark that they can be hard to appreciate fully. It's infuriating to struggle to see those magnificent fights, then switch to the Blu-Ray's "extra" fights and see how well-lit yet still stylish they are. The brighter lighting and colours even give the fights an extra pop of energy! Regardless, Jacobus' likable underdog charisma pulls the film together and his epic battle with Johnny Bosch makes the film a must-see.